Members of the community come from many different countries, including Cambodia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and other areas outside of mainland China.

For Overseas Chinese Association of South Australia president Tong Shen Chin, the turning of the Lunar New Year symbolises a time to spend time with family, recap his achievements in 2012 and set new goals for the oncoming year.

"We treasure the Chinese New Year," Tong Shen explained.

"That is the time that family members will attempt to be together, no matter how far, we have to make [an] effort to be together."

Similar to the Christmas and New Year period for western cultures, for Tong Shen, the Chinese New Year in his birthplace of China, is a time of relaxation and community involvement.

Children also feature heavily in the New Year celebrations, with the giving of 'red packets' filled with gifts of money.

Behind the celebratory scenes of dancing dragons and Chinese lanterns, families prepare large meals for traditional New Year dinners.

Tong Shen said the Australian Chinese community had been able to enjoy the best of both worlds, as families and especially children could celebrate Christmas, the Chinese New Year, and for some members the Malaysian New Year as well.

The year of the snake

Based on the Chinese zodiac, 2013 is the year of the black snake.

The snake is the sixth sign in the zodiac, and represents a need for followers to express focus and discipline to achieve their goals.

Ancient Chinese wisdom predicts that homes with a resident born in the year of the snake will not starve.

Those born within the year are said to be thoughtful and wise, rational, logical and rarely instinctive.

They are also believed to be complex, of few words, intelligent, have a good mind for business, but a tight grip on finances.

Snakes are also believed to be sometimes egotistical and conceited, but are also very insightful and intuitive.

Similar to astrology and daily horoscopes, the Chinese zodiac also predicts people certain signs will partner better with selected signs and be incompatible with others.

Lucky colours for snakes are red and yellow, lucky directions southwest and northwest, their lucky day is Monday and lucky numbers are two, four, seven and nine.

As with astrology, Tong Shen said not all of the Chinese community believed in the Chinese zodiac, but of those that did, most tried to live their lives by the guidance of the New Year predictions.

The Overseas Chinese Association of South Australia will hold their New Year celebrations at a restaurant in Gouger Street in Adelaide on Sunday with plans for karaoke, lion dancing, Chinese drums and other festivities.

China Town in the city will also be central to celebrations held by other Chinese groups in Adelaide over the weekend.

James Lan, Fong Ung, Kathy Liu, Clare Liu, Judi Jing and Tong Shen Chin from the Overseas Chinese Association of South Australia make some final touches to a banner for the Chinese New Year celebrations on Sunday
(Brett Williamson - ABC Adelaide)